The expansion of medical schools in the United States is in full effect, addressing the projected shortages of physicians in the United States. These are the 5 new medical schools welcoming their inaugural classes this month. These students are the first ever to learn at their school. No pressure. 1. UC Riverside School of Medicine University of Californnia Riverside School of Medicine is the first medical school to be established in California in several decades. Its first class, consisting of 50 students, started on August 5. The allopathic school is the sixth in the University of California system. Administrators say they plan to emphasize the need for physicians in the inland southern California region, which is largely underserved. The building cost $25 million and the launch required approximately $100 million from the community. 2. Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine is located in Buies Creek, North Carolina, focusing on underserved and rural areas. The inaugural class consists of 162 students, and at full enrollment the school expects to have about 600 students. Campbell is North Carolina’s first new medical school in 35 years. After graduation, students could begin residencies at Southeastern Regional Medical Center in Lumberton, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville and WakeMed in Raleigh. The facility costed $35 million. 3. Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine welcomed...

There are things that those of us in the developed world are not forced to consider. Those “things” happen to be the often deadly diseases that are still very prevalent throughout developing nations. The same diseases, meanwhile, are virtually gone in many developed nations. Developed nations enjoy early access to vaccines, largely accessible healthcare, and cleaner conditions. Traveling outside of your country can actually be dangerous: different places can really differ down to the microbe. Here are some diseases that, while you may not be likely to see, still plague the developed world. Hopefully this reminds you just how good you have it. 1. Malaria 2. Polio 3. Yellow Fever 4. Measles 5. Tetanus 6. Small Pox Small Pox was included here to show that it is possible to completely eliminate a disease. Small Pox is a disease that no one anywhere, developed nation or developing nation, has to worry about. In 1979, after aggressive action by several countries and the World Health Organization, Small Pox was declared eradicated....

Want to fight diseases from home? Crowdsourced medicine platforms are growing. More and more researchers and experts are realizing just how effective the crowd really is. The masses have the potential to decrease the time it takes for scientists to analyze data exponentially; they can recognize the 1 in a million disease that doctors couldn’t diagnose. Crowdsourcing allows anyone to contribute in their own way, and its benefits more than make up for its participants’ lack of official certification. We already use the crowd for so many things (police investigations, elections, etc.), and now medicine is getting in on the action too. Check out these 8 cool ways crowdsoured medicine is happening right now! 1. MalariaSpot.org While playing this game, you are actually analyzing Giemsa-stained thick blood films infected with malaria. You have 1 minute to identify as many parasites as possible. 2. Phylo DNA Puzzles The Phylo DNA Puzzles are very addicting. You’ll find yourself struggling to figure out how to get more points, and you won’t stop until you get them. This game utilizes a participant’s ability to recognize patterns better than computers can, and challenges people to try and beat an algorithm’s score. All alignments contain sections of human DNA speculated to be linked to various genetic disorders. 3. Crowdmed.com Crowd Med let’s you have fun solving rare medical mysteries. Users submit cases that doctors,...

Check out this hilarious video about “The Camp Gyno.” It isn’t easy for this little girl to provide gynecology care for her entire camp, but she apparently has the “red badge of courage.” Advertising done right? Courtesy of account...

Product designer Gabriele Meldaikyte has reinvented the first-aid kit. The goal of this new kit is to be easily accessible to people who haven’t completely refined their first-aid skills yet, or who don’t have any first-aid skills to refine in the first place. Meldaikyte’s design addresses the frequency of injuries at home, especially in the kitchen. The first-aid kit is organized and labeled by type of injury: burns, minor scratches, and deep cuts. Each section has a step-by-step explanation of how to treat the injury. Designed for ease of use and functionality, this reinvented first-aid kit aims to eliminate the confusion that comes with today’s old-fashioned first-aid kits. But that’s not all! In addition to its modern design, simplicity, and functionality, it can be used with only one hand! This feature makes treating an injury easy even when users are home alone and have to use one hand to treat the other. This is a first-aid kit truly fit for the 21st century. Check it out! Images used and featured image courtesy of Gabriele Meldaikyte. ...

Obesity is now officially a disease, at least according to the American Medical Association. Despite this recent designation, obesity has long been a killer: 300,000 deaths are attributed to obesity annually. The condition is also associated with an increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, breathing problems, arthritis, depression, and many other ailments. Although these deaths and illness are largely preventable, Washington has been slow to take up any large-scale action to combat this epidemic. But now, lawmakers have been moving on ways to fight the obesity epidemic. • The Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act sets new standards for fats, sugars and sodium in meals prepared and sold in schools. • The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act aims at providing expanded treatment for obesity to medicaid and medicare beneficiaries. • State governments are setting new standards for physical education, like House Bill 11-1069 in Colorado requiring physical activity for all elementary school children. • A Group of 18 big city mayors sent a letter to the federal government pushing for a ban on the use of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to buy soda and sugary drinks. • Mayor Michael Bloomberg issued an executive order and proposed 2 laws aimed at increasing visibility and access to stairs in New York City buildings. These measures presented by government officials raise the question: Is it even possible for the government...

If you have ever wanted to know what a typeface from your favorite scientist would look like, your search has come to an end! This graphic presents the typefaces of some (actually a lot) of the greatest scientists ever. Courtesy of Visua.ly user PrateekLala. Show a science geek! Featured image from vusual.ly |...